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B C Lawyer Jailed For Threat To Woman In U S Drug Case
Pubdate: Sat, 13 Aug 2005
Source: Globe and Mail (Canada)
Copyright: 2005, The Globe and Mail Company
Contact: http://www.globeandmail.ca/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/168
Author: Robert Matas
Section: A6
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine)
B.C. LAWYER JAILED FOR THREAT TO WOMAN IN U.S. DRUG CASE
VANCOUVER -- A Vancouver lawyer convicted of witness tampering in a
drug-smuggling case was sentenced yesterday in Seattle to one year
plus a day in a U.S. jail, a penalty that was significantly less than
the eight-year term sought by the prosecution.
Before he was sentenced, Kuldip Singh Chaggar told the court that his
entire professional career had been spent in the pursuit of justice
for those he saw as victimized. In British Columbia, the 43-year-old
lawyer has drawn considerable attention for his defence of Air-India
terrorist Inderjit Singh Reyat.
In Seattle, however, he was found guilty on April 8 of threatening a
20-year old B.C. woman who agreed to co-operate with U.S. prosecutors
after she was caught with others in Washington state with 50 kilograms
of cocaine.
Evidence at the five-day trial showed that Mr. Chaggar met with Sunita
Vartia, without the knowledge of her lawyer, while she was being held
in a U.S. detention centre outside Seattle airport. Mr. Chaggar had
been retained in Canada by one of the co-defendants. He suggested she
would be physically harmed if she did not change her testimony.
In fighting the charge of witness tampering, Mr. Chaggar said he was
set up by an informant trying to protect herself from criminal
charges. He told the court his commitment to those less fortunate, his
dedication to non-violence and his involvement in the community do not
support the charge that he was doing the bidding of a drug lord.
"The truth is Mr. Chaggar became involved with Ms. Vartia because of
his misguided attempt to answer her cry for help, and because his ego
led him to believe he could help her and others in the same case at
the same time," the court was told.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd Greenberg urged the judge to impose a
substantial jail term as a deterrence.
"Federal witness tampering prosecutions are rare, especially those
that take place inside of a federal prison," Mr. Greenberg said in the
written statement. "The potential for such offences, if undetected, to
subvert the criminal justice process is significant."
Mr. Chaggar voluntarily gave up his licence to practise law in B.C. in
April. However, the Law Society of British Columbia is pursing
disciplinary action against him for breaches of professional conduct.
In imposing the sentence yesterday, District Court Judge John
Coughenour said Mr. Chaggar had already been penalized by losing his
law licence.
The U.S. Attorney's Office has successfully prosecuted 10 lawyers in
the past five years.
"This is a staggering number, given that there are 94 U.S. Attorney's
Offices throughout the country, not to mention numerous state and
local prosecutions brought against attorneys," Mr. Greenberg stated.
"There appears to be the need for strong deterrence."
Mr. Chaggar was released from custody yesterday after being sentenced,
and allowed to return to his Vancouver home. U.S. authorities are to
inform him within four weeks of where he will serve his time in jail.
Judge Coughenour said he felt it was not necessary for Mr. Chaggar to
be held in custody immediately because he had appeared for previous
court appointments without being in detention.
Mr. Chaggar has 10 days to file an appeal. Because he was sentenced to
more than a year, he becomes eligible under U.S. law for reduced time
in jail for good behaviour.
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